Friday, September 25, 2009

The unvanquished warrior was confident in his strength. So, when given the option to choose between a fully equipped, belligerent army and a single unarmed man, he chose the later. All that he wanted was a driver for his chariot. How this unarmed charioteer gave guidance to the chariot and the warrior would later become a shining episode in a culture, revered by a civilization, enthralling the world for ages to come…

Arjuna knew that even the most well disposed armies can go haywire if not led ably. But much before the age of Mahabharatha, even before evolution of human race, leadership existed. Animal packs and flocks of birds stuck with their leads. The footprints left by the leader manoeuvred the followers and thus made a trail for those who come. Leaving the exception of probably ants, every living species replicates this blueprint. It's embedded in the genetic code- in a majority, to be led, and in a selected few, to lead.

What makes a leader? Why are leaders so few? Cutting through a myriad of elaborated theories and sophisticated models, Seth Godin in his latest book "Tribes" says, "Leadership is scarce because few people are willing to go through the discomfort required to lead. The scarcity makes leadership valuable." Perusing the annals of history, we see proof of the struggles that leaders over the centuries have taken to remove thorns from the trail they leave. They stay awake for their tribe to sleep soundly. Often the portrait of a leader is of one who is smug in luxuries. But remember that any leader not having discomfort is passing it on to the multitude that looks up to him.

As the quote from the movie goes, a leader is the one who ‘got vision when the rest of the world wears bifocals’. He sees the tomorrow for his followers and enables them to achieve it. Defining the role of a leader can be tricky. He is required wherever and whenever there is lack of clarity. He may be omnipresent or barely visible. As Lao Tzu noted, “A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.”

It’s interesting to see how Krishna concluded his magnificent discourse which we now call “Bhagavath Geetha”. He tells Arjuna, "Vimarsedath asheshena Yadhechhasi Thadha Kurum"- Fully ponder over what I said and do as you like. A leader, therefore, never spoon feeds. He keeps the options open for his followers; he lets them apply their minds. He should never tell how to do but just what to do.

A leader may start by making the masses believe in him. But his ultimate aim should be in making them believe in themselves. And this happens by giving away power. By giving away power, a leader gains the respect. Thus a leader should be judged not by the number of followers, but by number of leaders he has given rise to.